1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clocks, timepieces and watches, particularly but not limited to wristwatches having a watch face which is liftable off of a watch back or backing, the watch back having an outwardly facing member for performing a useful function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many different watches which are on the market or known displaying information other than the time which is shown on the watch face Such other information includes the date, time lapsed for a period being measured, telephone numbers, a computer output, etc. Many watches perform functions other than indicating the time of day. These include access to data bases in the circuitry of electronic watches such as an electronic directory for telephone numbers, a computer for performing mathematical computations, and the like.
Watches are also known where the watch face is movable. There are xe2x80x9cflip-overxe2x80x9d watches in which the watch face if lifted off the watch back, and flipped over to reveal some artistic message or the like on the back of the watch face. It is well known to place an inscription on the back of a watch backing (the part of the watch that touches the wrist).
There are many watches having moveable accessories for moving the watch face, for covering the watch face, and for revealing another working component associated with a watch. U.S. Pat. No. Des.285,417 (Nakane) shows a wristwatch which can be removed from a backing on the band, and be replaced with a toy aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. Des.303,503 discloses a wristwatch with a calculator, the calculator having a hinged cover. Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des.339,299 is a wrist band holding a wristwatch, a calculator and a telephone index, these being hinged one on top of the other and accessible for their respective use. In another design patent, U.S. Pat. No. Des.380,293, a wristwatch is hinged to provide the cover for a receptacle between the watch backing and the back side of the watch face. A similar device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des.391,872.
There are a number of patents showing watches having moveable parts, other than the workings of the watch itself. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,165,262, a watchband has adjustable spring prongs for holding different sizes of watches. A mounting for a watchcase is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,219,277, where a watch face can be removably held in a watchband having a backing for the watch. A hinged arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,513, where a watch face can be rotated to reveal a different watch. One watch can be analog, and the other digital. U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,250 describes a watch having a memo case disposed adjacent the watch. A display face is fixed, and the memo portion is next to it. The memo portion can be replaced with printed cards. Thus, the watch backing is really receptacle for the printed cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,756 discloses a combined identification device and wristwatch. The watch face is hinged over a platform holding a microfilm with the wearer""s medical information. If the watch face is lifted up, panels, which are biased upwardly, reveal the microfilm. The microfilm is carried in one of the panels, and another panel has a lens for focusing on the microfilm. The watch backing itself is only, in effect, a receptacle for holding the folded panels.
A modular watch having interchangeable elements is shown in U. S. Pat. No. 5,657,298. A rescue watch is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,932 where the watch assembly has a container chamber holding pressurized liquid or gas to provide air for inflating a device, or for spraying an assaulter when the rescue watch is used for self defense. Some of the watches described above are flip-over watches. Another flip-over watch which is currently on the market is called the Basculante watch. However, neither this watch nor the others described above, carry any member on the backing of the watch, that is the plate upon which the watch normally sits, for performing a useful function.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a functional member in connection with a wristwatch, where the device is not readily apparent to others but which can be accessed by the wearer of the watch as desired.
Another object is to provide a wristwatch with a backing holding a function and therapeutic member.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wristwatch having a message which can be viewed at the discretion of the wearer, but is generally not observable by others.
It is another object of the present invention to provide various types of messages on the backing of a watch. Such messages could be in writing, artistic messages, scents, musical messages, or other visual or auditory messages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide on or associated with the backing of a watch, a removable and/or exchangeable functional and/or therapeutic member.
Another object of the invention is to provide a watch for transmitting a signal to a remote place.
A further object is to provide a watch with a secret or hidden compartment.
Yet another object is to provide a watch with a hidden compartment having messages, such as written messages, artistic messages, scents, musical messages, visual messages, therapeutic messages or auditory messages, or to contain items such as magnets, pictures, natural or synthetic stones or the like.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a wristwatch having a backing with a functional member for generating signals to help find the wristwatch itself or the wearer of the wristwatch if they are lost or otherwise cannot be found. This would be useful at night, under avalanches, in the water, etc.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide means for lifting a watch face from a watch backing to render a functional and therapeutic member on the watch backing accessible and useable.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by means of a wristwatch having a back or backing upon which the watch face (which includes the watch workings) is entirely or partially removable to render a useful device on the watch backing accessible for use. The useful device can be messages which can be permanent, removable, or exchangeable, and could be directly on the watch backing itself or on an appropriate disc for holding the message. The message can be a psychological, therapeutic message as discussed below, olfactory messages generating a particular type of aroma, auditory messages such as those produced by particular electronic chips, certain crystals or stones, pictures and the like. A person wearing a wristwatch of the foregoing type can gain access to the functional and/or therapeutic member easily and often without the observation of others, to obtain the desired purpose of the member. The watch can have a hidden or secret compartment for containing a variety of messages or for holding a variety of things. The face of the watch can have many shapes, and could be round, square, oval, rectangular, etc.
The invention further involves a functional member mounted on the backing of a watch which can be relayed to a remote place. This would include means for generating a signal such as a visual, auditory, olfactory or electronic signal. Such signals could be observed or otherwise recognized by the wearer of the watch, or else could be useful to third parties and the remote place.